High-Speed Rail

High-performance passenger rail is the most practical and environmentally responsible way to transport groups of people safely, comfortably and affordably over moderate distances. Within a 400-mile radius, high-speed trains can deliver passengers downtown-to-downtown almost as quickly as airplanes. With wide seats, food service and computer ports, modern trains traveling on modern tracks provide a convenient, productive alternative to cars and airplanes.

The Midwest High-Speed Rail Network will create reliable 110 mph train service with limited stops between Midwestern cities. Chicago is the hub, with lines running north to Milwaukee and on to Minneapolis; northeast to Kalamazoo and Detroit; east to Toledo and Cleveland; southeast to Indianapolis; and southwest to Springfield and St. Louis.

The exciting process of transforming America’s transportation system through high-speed rail is moving forward. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) awarded $8 billion in early 2010 to fund high-speed rail projects throughout the region, and now we are seeing those improvements result in modern stations and faster travel times.

What is ELPC Doing?

More than a decade of high-speed rail advocacy by ELPC and others is working to turn the vision of high-speed rail into a reality. ELPC legal and policy experts have testified before federal committees on behalf of high-speed rail development and provided environmental policy support to the highest levels of government charged with our nation’s transportation infrastructure. We regularly engage with state lawmakers to secure local matching funds for federally supported passenger rail lines. We build strong and diverse coalitions of mayors, senators, state legislators, Members of Congress, university presidents, chambers of commerce, supply chain businesses, original equipment manufacturers and others to support the nation’s growing demand for higher-speed passenger trains. And we spread the word that passenger rail can increase mobility, reduce pollution, and spur economic development throughout the Midwest.